A Broken Doll In Slumber Lies
by SaJi
Summary: Slash. Batman/Joker - Vaguely he wonders if it's possible to breathe life into a broken doll.


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****Disclaimer:** The Dark Knight, Batman & The Joker are sadly not mine. *crie*

**Beta:** Me, Myself & I.

**A/N:** Wrote this about two-ish months ago and kinda stuck it on a shelf to be fiddled with some more at a later date, but I've felt the urge to go ahead and post this bit up now like it is and who am I to argue? Am hoping to continue it at some point in time when I have more time to properly think on it. Will eventually lean more towards B/J when continued. Rating will also eventually go up.

Reviews are love and makes the world go round, so please if you liked, let me know.

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**A Broken Doll In Slumber Lies**

It's been weeks since it's happened.

Since that night that had him jerking awake in a cold sweat, panicked and disoriented, his chest aching as though someone had reached within his being and torn everything important out.

Leaving him incomplete and broken.

He had never made it back to Gotham as quickly as he had that night. Sure he would find his city alight in flames.

But Gotham was dark and quiet.

Empty, as he was empty.

Broken, as he was broken.

He had searched endlessly. Every night for days upon days he would go out, combing every dark alley and desiccated building, hunting for any hint or shred of information that would lead him to the cause of his unease.

Until finally Alfred took pity upon him.

"Master Wayne, there's something you should know..."

That night, Batman's world crumbled around him.

_...you complete me..._

Silently he slips into the cell.

The empty part of himself stirs.

Aches.

The broken part of himself resides here.

The Joker sits, slumped and unmoving in a darkened corner, shrouded by dark shadows. His legs are stretched out before him, his arms loose and hanging lifeless at his sides.

Slowly Batman approaches.

Kneels.

Reaches out.

Hesitates.

Completes the motion.

His scowl deepens, darkens as Kevlar clad fingers brush through what was once long, dank green curls, now cropped close, hugging the contours of the Jokers skull and shying away from an angry, red wound which, refusing to heal completely, festers and weeps as though trying to draw out any evil the doctors may have missed.

His attention turns to hooded, glassy eyes and gently tilting the madman's chin upwards he feels a flutter of hope at a flash of poisonous green, bright and alive. But it's just the light of the passing moon reflected in an empty gaze.

There is no recognition, no spark of familiarity.

_...you complete me..._

You see, the doctors, they couldn't wait.

Couldn't wait to get their hands on the answer to Gotham's greatest mystery.

So they drugged him, cut him open, hacked at the promising pieces of his brain. Hacked until there was nothing left but a broken doll and nothing to show for their butchery.

The Joker would keep his secrets.

_...you complete me..._

Slowly a thumb trails over pale, chapped lips, trailing down to wipe at cool, damp drool and vaguely he wonders if it's possible to breathe life into a broken doll.

He hesitates, but only for a moment.

The emptiness in him calls out, listening for an answering cry, reaching blindly for its other half as he leans forward, breathing the madman's name against his still, parted lips, before leaning closer, completing the connection.

And there is nothing.

No spark.

No answering call.

Pulling back roughly he stands, the emptiness within himself growing, consuming, transforming into a blind rage of loss. The loss of something he never dared to acknowledge was a part of himself, that he wanted and now he could never have.

Not in truth.

And not in denial.

Jaw clenching he turns and leaves, wrapping himself in shadows against a new, dark impulse growing within himself to exact vengeance in-kind to those that once more took what mattered most to him in this world.

_...you complete me..._

In the darkness of the empty cell, a broken doll stirs.

_...you complete me..._

_"Bats..."_

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**Additional ****A/N (4/28/09): **While favs are nice, they alone do not let me know what you liked about the story. Please if you've read it and liked it press the little green button below this text labeled 'review' and let me know what about it you liked. If it's an "I liked everything!" that's great, if it's an "I liked...' and a lot of detail, that's even better. Even if there was something you didn't like about it (besides it being slash), I would love to hear what you personally think. If you don't want people going to the review page and seeing that OMG! You read slash!, please feel free to leave a review anonymously. I don't mind, honest. So please, it'll only take a minute, feed an author and leave a review. _  
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